Texas A&M is hoping that Admon Gilder, left, and Duane Wilson can keep playing despite knee injuries that have limited their effectiveness recently.

Texas A&M is hoping that Admon Gilder, left, and Duane Wilson can keep playing despite knee injuries that have limited their effectiveness recently.

Photo: Joe Robbins, Stringer

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Texas A&M's D.J. Hogg (1) attempts to maintain control of the ball from Arkansas' Jaylen Barford (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, in College Station, Texas. (Laura McKenzie/College Station Eagle via AP) less

Texas A&M's D.J. Hogg (1) attempts to maintain control of the ball from Arkansas' Jaylen Barford (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, in College Station, Texas. ... more

Photo: Laura McKenzie, Associated Press

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Texas A&M is hoping that Admon Gilder, left, and Duane Wilson can keep playing despite knee injuries that have limited their effectiveness recently.

Texas A&M is hoping that Admon Gilder, left, and Duane Wilson can keep playing despite knee injuries that have limited their effectiveness recently.

Photo: Andy Lyons, Staff

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D.J. Hogg, center, and the Aggies﻿ were unable to keep pace with the Jayhawks, falling behind from the start and never pulling within single digits despite a late surge in Saturday's game.

D.J. Hogg, center, and the Aggies﻿ were unable to keep pace with the Jayhawks, falling behind from the start and never pulling within single digits despite a late surge in Saturday's game.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Staff

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Latest ESPN bracket has Texas A&M a 10th seed in NCAA Tournament

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COLLEGE STATION – The calendar flipping to February is a wonderful thing for college basketball fans. It means they’re one month closer to March Madness.

Despite A&M’s 3-6 start to SEC play, Lunardi pegged the Aggies as a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and facing No. 7 seed Gonzaga for starters. A&M is fully healthy – meaning the knees of guards Admon Gilder and Duane Wilson are almost back to 100 percent – really for the first time since SEC play started around the turn of the new year.

The Aggies were ranked fifth nationally at that time, but dropped out of the rankings following an early slide in league play. They have won three league games in a row at home, however, with a 1 p.m. contest set for Saturday against South Carolina in Reed Arena.

A&M started sloppily on Tuesday night against Arkansas and still held a one-point lead at halftime, but in the second half offered a sneak peak at what this long, athletic team can be moving forward. The Aggies made 7 of 12 3-pointers over the final 20 minutes, and whipped the Razorbacks 47-34 in that span.

Things were clicking (finally) – just as they hope they are against the Gamecocks on Saturday. Such indicators are why Lunardi still has A&M in his postseason bracket, even if the Aggies have a steep hill to climb over the last half of SEC play, with four games at home and five on the road.